D o w n t o w n
P e r s p e c t i v e
actually decided to purchase the business and cut it in half both in terms of space and products. I wanted to focus on the clothing and not the lifestyle products. Back before I had Ambiance, the store used to bring in furniture and paint it and fix it up, the shabby chic thing was really in at the time but that wasn’t where I wanted to go with Ambiance. Today you have multiple stores open and you seem to be very successful, what changed from those first couple of years?
A
t one point I had to run the shop by myself without employees in order to take a paycheck home. The year that I bought the business I also met my husband. Eventually we had our first son and making sure that I was bringing home a paycheck was really important. I literally worked the store alone and counted on friends to come in and work in exchange for clothes. All the while I was looking for the right employee. One day she walked in the store and I knew that she had everything I was looking for. That was the worst year of the recession and with her help we doubled our business. Eventually she opened her own store in Montecito. In those early years I gained the perspective of gratitude for my family, a business and a home to live in. It sounds corny but I believe that what you think about, you bring about. That is so true. I know that you also believe in self-improvement, do you share that spirit of education with your staff?
I
do my best to send all of my managers through formal training. Customer experience is very important to me and shopping in Ambiance is an experience for our customers. We will even do home parties where we take racks of clothes to a party of women. We make sure that we know what their styles and sizes are so that they get the same experience that they would in our shop. We want to make sure that when a customer comes in we show them everything Kannyn January that they might be interested in based on what they tell us they are looking for. Today, with the Internet, customer experience is being offered less and less. You can order $1,000 dollars in pants online because they look good on the model but when you try them on you end up sending them all back but if you come into our stores our staff will make sure you look good in what we sell you. You have been running a successful business on lockdown. How about your involvement in the Downtown, what do you want your legacy to be for the community?
O
h that is a really hard question. When I got involved with the Downtown Association I was also on an economic activities
Continued on next page
PRESENTS
B E N E F ITI N G U NITE D WAY OF SAN LUIS O B ISP O CO U N T Y
SUNDAY | OCT. 23 | 2-5PM $35 Adults 21+ $40 at the Door $10 Ages 4-20 unitedwayslo.org | 805-541-1234
On the Bluff at the SeaCrest OceanFront Hotel in Pismo Beach Enjoy Tastings from Over 20 Local Restaurants, Wineries, & Breweries Special Performance by
RIO SALINAS featuring Louie Ortega
#boogieonthebluff THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
Got You Cover'D | Left Coast Tees | Muir Music | PG&E Print Pal Promotions | Promotional Concepts | San Luis Print & Copy | SLO Safe Ride